Qing Dynasty pen holder with illustrations of a Chinese mythological tale 'Legend of the White Snake', with text from a Kunqu Opera, c.1760s-c.1900s (Mid-late Qing Dynasty)

File

Reference Code: GBR/1928/NRI/NRI2/8/13/2/4

Scope and Contents

The penholder has an excerpt of text painted on it from the Kunqu opera Lei feng ta (雷峰塔) written by Fang Chengpei (方成培), a Qing Dynasty composer of Kunqu opera. The opera is based on the traditional Chinese mythological tale Legend of the White Snake (白蛇傳). The illustration on the pen holder depicts a scene from the opera involving the couple: Xu Xian, a mortal scholar, is standing on the left holding a basket, while a boatman rows behind him. Bai Niangzi, a white snake deity that appears in the form of a woman, is on the boat to the right with a sword, while her servant girl rows the boat. The back side is blank. There is slight damage on the top right corner.

Dates

Creation: c.1760s-c.1900s (Mid-late Qing Dynasty)

Biographical / Historical

Fang Chengpei (方成培, c.1722 - unknown) was a Qing Dynasty composer of traditional Chinese opera, specifically of Kunqu. An excerpt from his opera Lei feng ta (雷峰塔), based on the Chinese mythological tale Legend of the White Snake (白蛇傳), is painted on the pen holder. The excerpt is about a couple.